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Fix a number field $K$, a positive integer $d$, and a finite set $S$ of its finite places. There are finitely many field extensions $L/K$ of degree at most $d$ unramified outside $S$, inside a fixed algebraic closure. To see this, view them as extensions of the rational numbers of bounded degree. Their ramified rational primes belong to a fixed finite set. At each of these primes, the different exponent is bounded in terms of the local degree and ramification index, giving a bound for the absolute field discriminant. The Hermite–Minkowski theorem gives finitely many fields up to isomorphism, and each has only finitely many embeddings into the fixed closure. This useful form of arithmetic compactness is stated and proved for $K=\mathbb{Q}$ in Andrew Sutherland's number-theory notes, Theorem 14.25; the preceding reduction gives the general case.

For $K_r={\mathbb{Q}}_p({\zeta }_{p^r})$, the uniformizer ${\zeta }_{p^r}-1$ has different exponent $p^{r-1}(r(p-1)-1)$. Differentiate the cyclotomic polynomial at ${\zeta }_{p^r}$: the numerator contributes $r{p}^{r-1}(p-1)$ to the valuation, while the denominator ${\zeta }_p-1$ contributes $p^{r-1}$.

For a finite extension of number fields, the different exponent satisfies $d_{\mathfrak{P}}\ge e_{\mathfrak{P}}-1$, with equality exactly when the extension at $\mathfrak{P}$ is tamely ramified. The finite residue fields are perfect, so tameness is equivalent to the residue characteristic not dividing the ramification index. Thus unramified primes have exponent zero and wildly ramified primes have exponent at least $e_{\mathfrak{P}}$. No Galois extension hypothesis is needed.

If $m>1$ is a square-free integer, $3\nmid m$, and $m\not\equiv \pm 1(\mathrm{mod}9)$, then $1,\sqrt[3]{m},\sqrt[3]{m^2}$ is an integral basis of the pure cubic number field, with field discriminant $-27m^2$. The discriminant-index formula for an integral lattice restricts a possible index to primes dividing $3m$. At primes dividing $m$ the different exponent is $2$ by tame ramification. A shifted Eisenstein polynomial gives total wild ramification at $3$, so its different exponent is at least $3$. These exponents exhaust the polynomial discriminant and force index one.

The relative discriminant of a finite extension of number fields is the relative norm of a fractional ideal applied to its different ideal. Consequently, at $\mathfrak{p}$,where $f_{\mathfrak{P}/\mathfrak{p}}$ is the residue-field degree and $d_{\mathfrak{P}}$ is the different exponent. Over $\mathbb{Q}$, $N({\mathfrak{D}}_{E/\mathbb{Q}})=|D_E|$.

Let $L/K$ be a finite Galois extension of non-Archimedean local fields, with Galois group $G$, normalized valuation $v_L$, integer ring ${\mathcal{O}}_L$, and residue characteristic $p$. The lower ramification numbering isThese higher ramification groups measure successively finer agreement with the identity. The group $G_0$ is the inertia group, the kernel of the action on the residue field. Each $G_i$ is normal in $G$: conjugation permutes integral elements and preserves their valuations. The groups eventually become trivial, since each nonidentity automorphism moves some integral element and its displacement has finite valuation.

Let $K_0=L^{G_0}$, the maximal unramified subextension of a local field extension. Then $G/G_0$ is the Galois group of the residue extension, cyclic and generated by a Frobenius automorphism. For a uniformizer $\pi$ of $L$, the uniformizer criterion for lower ramification groups givesTo see why one uniformizer suffices, the extension $L/K_0$ is totally ramified and its integer ring is ${\mathcal{O}}_{K_0}[\pi ]$. Elements of $G_0$ fix its coefficients. Differences of powers of $\pi$ are divisible by $\sigma \pi -\pi$, so the valuation bound for $\pi$ implies it for every integral element. The converse follows by testing $\pi$ itself.

The tame inertia quotient is seen explicitly fromIt is a homomorphism because inertia acts trivially on the residue field, and its kernel is $G_1$. Thus $G_0/G_1$ is cyclic of order not divisible by $p$. For $i\ge 1$, the homomorphismhas kernel $G_{i+1}$. Indeed composing two automorphisms adds the leading displacements, since $\sigma \pi /\pi \equiv 1$ and inertia fixes residue coefficients. Hence each $G_i/G_{i+1}$ is an elementary abelian p-group. Eventual triviality makes $G_1$ a p-group; the prime-to-p quotient makes it the unique Sylow subgroup of $G_0$. This is the wild inertia group. Tame ramification means $G_1=1$.

The filtration also measures the different exponent. For the totally ramified extension over $K_0$, the minimal polynomial of an algebraic element $g$ of $\pi$ has polynomial roots $\sigma \pi$, $\sigma \in G_0$. The derivative formula givesFor a fixed $\sigma$, its displacement valuation is the number of indices $i\ge 0$ for which it belongs to $G_i$. Interchanging the finite sums therefore gives different exponent from ramification groups:The unramified part contributes zero. More generally different in a tower follows by taking products of bases of a module dual for the trace pairing, and givesThus a tame extension has different exponent $e-1$, while nontrivial wild groups contribute additional positive terms.

The lower numbering restricts to subgroups: if $H=\mathrm{Gal}(L/E)$, its groups are $H_i=H\cap G_i$, directly from the definition using the same top-field valuation. Quotients need a different indexing. For real $s\ge 0$ put $G_s=G_{\lceil s\rceil }$ and define the Herbrand functionThis upper ramification numbering stretches or compresses intervals according to the inertia indices. The quotient theorem says that for a normal subgroup $H$, upper ramification groups commute with quotients:In particular the same upper index has a meaning compatible with passing to a smaller Galois extension, which lower indices generally lack.

For a tame totally ramified extension the picture is simple: $G_0=G$, all $G_i$ with $i\ge 1$ are trivial, and the different exponent is $|G|-1$. The extension ${\mathbb{Q}}_p({\zeta }_p)$ for odd $p$ illustrates this, giving exponent $p-2$.

A mixed-characteristic wild family is the lower ramification filtration of a prime-power cyclotomic extension. Take $L={\mathbb{Q}}_p({\zeta }_{p^r})$ with odd $p$ and $\pi ={\zeta }_{p^r}-1$. If ${\sigma }_a(\zeta )={\zeta }^a$ and $a\ne 1$ modulo $p^r$, thenThe last equality follows because ${\zeta }^{a-1}$ has order $p^{r-v_p(a-1)}$ and its uniformizer valuation scales by the ramification index in that cyclotomic tower. The lower breaks are $0,p-1,p^2-1,\dots ,p^{r-1}-1$. Integrating the successive indices $(p-1),p(p-1),\dots$ gives upper breaks $0,1,\dots ,r-1$.

In equal characteristic there is an equally explicit wild example. Start with $K={\mathbb{F}}_q((t))$ and an Artin–Schreier extensionThere is no polynomial root in $K$: a negative-valuation element has $v(x^p-x)=pv(x)$, while the right side has valuation $-m$. Adjoining a polynomial root splits the polynomial, whose polynomial roots are $y+c$ for $c\in {\mathbb{F}}_p$, so the extension is cyclic of degree $p$. The valuation equation forces total ramification, $v_L(t)=p$ and $v_L(y)=-m$. Choose $1\le b\le p-1$ with $-bm\equiv 1(\mathrm{mod}p)$ and set $a=(1+bm)/p$. Then $\pi =t^a{y}^b$ is a uniformizer. For a nonidentity automorphism $y\mapsto y+c$,the first binomial coefficient $b$ is nonzero modulo $p$, and all subsequent terms have strictly higher valuation. ThereforeThis is the ramification break of an Artin–Schreier pole. It shows concretely that wild breaks, unlike tame inertia, can occur arbitrarily far out in the filtration.

The polynomial is Eisenstein at every prime number $p$, so a polynomial root $\alpha$ generates a totally ramified cubic field $F/{\mathbb{Q}}_p$. The splitting-field Galois group is a transitive subgroup of $S_3$, hence $C_3$ or $S_3$. Its polynomial discriminant isThe product of the three polynomial root differences is a square root of $\Delta$, transformed by the sign of the polynomial root permutation. Thus the group is $C_3$ exactly when $\Delta$ is a square, and otherwise it is $S_3$. In the latter case the splitting field isIndeed adjoining one polynomial root leaves a quadratic factor, whose polynomial discriminant is $\Delta /f^{\prime }(\alpha {)}^2$, so the square root of $\Delta$ supplies its remaining polynomial roots.

Suppose first that $p>3$. The unit $-(4p+27)$ reduces to $-27$, and Hensel's lemma makes it a square exactly when $-3$ is a square modulo $p$. Quadratic reciprocity givesIf $p\equiv 1(\mathrm{mod}3)$, the field generated by $\alpha$ is already the cyclic splitting field, totally ramified of degree three. If $p\equiv 2(\mathrm{mod}3)$, the nonsquare unit gives an unramified quadratic field $E={\mathbb{Q}}_p(\sqrt{\Delta })$. Since $F$ and $E$ have coprime degrees, $[FE:{\mathbb{Q}}_p]=6$. Its residue degree is at least two and its ramification index at least three; their product is six, so they are exactly two and three. Thus its inertia group is the normal $C_3$ inside $S_3$.

In both cases the ramification index is three and is not divisible by $p$. The wild inertia group is trivial, so all positive lower groups are trivial. As a different check, $f^{\prime }(\alpha )=3{\alpha }^2+p$ has valuation two in $F$ when $p>3$, agreeing with tame different exponent $3-1$.

For $p=3$ the polynomial discriminant is $-351=-3^3\cdot 13$, which is nonsquare. Hence $G=S_3$. The quadratic subfield can be written $E={\mathbb{Q}}_3(\beta )$ with ${\beta }^2=-39$. It is ramified of degree two, by the Eisenstein polynomial $T^2+39$. Together with the totally ramified cubic field this forces $e(L/{\mathbb{Q}}_3)$ to be divisible by both two and three. Since $[L:{\mathbb{Q}}_3]=6$, the splitting field is totally ramified. In its normalized valuation,

All differences between distinct polynomial roots have the same valuation, since $S_3$ permutes the polynomial root pairs and preserves the absolute value on a field. Alsohas valuation six, so each polynomial root difference has valuation three. A nonidentity three-cycle fixes $\beta$, and thereforeThe transposition fixing $\alpha$ negates $\beta$, so sends $\pi$ to $-\pi$ and has displacement valuation $v_L(2\pi )=1$. The other transpositions have the same value by conjugacy. The uniformizer criterion now determines every group:For the wild case the different exponent is $5+2=7$. Independently, the cubic subfield has different exponent $v_F(3({\alpha }^2+1))=3$, and the quadratic extension $L/F$ is tame with exponent one. The tower formula gives $1+2\cdot 3=7$, confirming the filtration. Its positive upper break is $1/2$, because $[G_0:G_1]=2$. This completes ramification of the splitting field of X3 plus pX plus p for every odd prime number.

Write $\alpha =\sqrt[3]{3}$ and $\zeta ={\zeta }_3$. The cubic is Eisenstein and adjoining $\zeta$ adds at most a quadratic extension, so $[L:{\mathbb{Q}}_3]\le 6$. SetUsing ${\zeta }^2+\zeta +1=0$ and ${\alpha }^3=3$, compute ${\pi }^3=1+2\zeta$ and ${\pi }^6=-3$. Thus $\pi$ satisfies the Eisenstein polynomial $X^6+3$. This proves $L={\mathbb{Q}}_3(\pi )$, degree six, with $\pi$ a uniformiser and the extension totally ramified. It is the splitting field of $X^3-3$, so its Galois group is $S_3$. This is the Eisenstein sextic presentation of the splitting field of X3 minus 3 over Q3.

The six automorphisms have $\sigma (\alpha )={\zeta }^a\alpha$, $a\in \{0,1,2\}$, and $\sigma (\zeta )={\zeta }^b$, $b\in \{1,2\}$. Since $v_L(3)=6$, we have $v_L(\alpha )=2$ and $v_L(\zeta -1)=3$.

If $b=1$ and $a\ne 0$, then $\sigma (\pi )={\zeta }^{-a}\pi$, whence $v_L(\sigma (\pi )-\pi )=1+3=4$. These are the two nonidentity elements of the cyclic subgroup $C_3$.

If $b=2$, use ${\zeta }^2-1=(\zeta -1)(\zeta +1)=-(\zeta -1){\zeta }^2$. Then $\sigma (\pi )=-{\zeta }^{2-a}\pi$. The coefficient $-{\zeta }^{2-a}-1$ reduces to $-2\ne 0$ in the residue field ${\mathbb{F}}_3$, so the difference has valuation one. These three automorphisms are the transpositions.

The uniformizer criterion for lower ramification groups consequently givesAs a consistency check, the different exponent is $(6-1)+3(3-1)=11$. The derivative of the monogenic Eisenstein polynomial gives the same value, $v_L(6{\pi }^5)=6+5=11$. In particular, stopping the wild filtration at $G_1$ would give the wrong different.

The inverse different is the trace-dual latticeThe integral closure ${\mathcal{O}}_L$ is finite free over the complete discrete valuation ring ${\mathcal{O}}_K$. Choose an integral basis and use the nondegenerate trace pairing to form its dual basis over $K$. This exhibits ${\mathfrak{D}}^{-1}$ as a full, finite ${\mathcal{O}}_K$-lattice. It is stable under multiplication by ${\mathcal{O}}_L$, because $b{\mathcal{O}}_L\subseteq {\mathcal{O}}_L$ for $b\in {\mathcal{O}}_L$, and bounded denominators make it a fractional ideal of ${\mathcal{O}}_L$. Integral elements have integral field traces, so ${\mathcal{O}}_L\subseteq {\mathfrak{D}}^{-1}$. A nonzero fractional ideal of a discrete valuation ring is invertible; its inverse is consequently an integral ideal, the different ideal ${\mathfrak{D}}_{L/K}$.

Assume now $A={\mathcal{O}}_K[x]={\mathcal{O}}_L$, with monic separable minimal polynomial $g$ of degree $n$. Lagrange interpolation at its distinct roots givesIndeed, these are the leading coefficients in the interpolation formula for $X^j$. For any element of $A$, this trace is the coefficient of $X^{n-1}$ in its degree-less-than-$n$ representative modulo $g$. The resulting pairing on the basis $1,x,\dots ,x^{n-1}$ is integral and unimodular: reversing the order of one basis makes its matrix triangular with diagonal ones, since entries vanish when the exponent sum is less than $n-1$. Thus it identifies $A$ with its full ${\mathcal{O}}_K$-dual. Translating back to the trace pairing proves

For a totally ramified extension of degree $n$, any uniformizer ${\pi }_L$ is an Eisenstein generator of a totally ramified extension, and ${\mathcal{O}}_L={\mathcal{O}}_K[{\pi }_L]$. To see the latter equality, use the common residue field to expand an integral element in powers of ${\pi }_L$ with digits from ${\mathcal{O}}_K$; reduce powers using its Eisenstein polynomial and take limits in the finite complete ${\mathcal{O}}_K$-module generated by $1,{\pi }_L,\dots ,{\pi }_L^{n-1}$. Write that polynomial as $X^n+{\sum }_{j<n}{a}_j{X}^j$, with $v_L(a_j)\ge n$ for $j<n$. When $p\nmid n$, the derivative's leading term has valuation $n-1$, while every other nonzero derivative term has valuation at least $n$. There can be no cancellation of the unique smallest term. Therefore

For the prime-power p-adic cyclotomic extension, put $\zeta ={\zeta }_{p^r}$ and $e=p^{r-1}(p-1)$. Modulo $p$, the shifted cyclotomic polynomial ${\Phi }_{p^r}(1+T)$ is $T^e$, while its constant term is $p$, not a multiple of $p^2$. It is therefore Eisenstein, so $\pi =\zeta -1$ is a uniformizer and ${\mathcal{O}}_{K_r}={\mathbb{Z}}_p[\zeta ]$. Fromwe obtain, by differentiating the numerator at $\zeta$,The denominator is a primitive-$p$ root of unity minus one and has $K_r$-valuation $p^{r-1}$. The different exponent is consequently $re-p^{r-1}$, givingThis includes $p=2,r=1$: the extension is trivial and its different exponent is zero.

For a finite extension $E/K$ of number fields, the inverse different is the fractional idealThe different ideal is its inverse. The trace pairing is nondegenerate because extensions of number fields are separable, so this definition gives a full fractional ideal. The inclusion ${\mathcal{O}}_E\subseteq {\mathfrak{D}}_{E/K}^{-1}$ shows that ${\mathfrak{D}}_{E/K}$ is integral.

Write its prime ideal factorization as ${\mathfrak{D}}_{E/K}={\prod }_{\mathfrak{P}}{\mathfrak{P}}^{d_{\mathfrak{P}}}$. For $\mathfrak{P}$ above $\mathfrak{p}$, with ramification index $e_{\mathfrak{P}}$ and residue characteristic $\ell$, the different exponent and tame ramification theorem saysThe equivalence uses the separability of finite residue-field extensions. In particular, $d_{\mathfrak{P}}=0$ precisely at unramified prime ideals; in the wild case $d_{\mathfrak{P}}\ge e_{\mathfrak{P}}$. This theorem does not require a Galois extension. The relative discriminant is the norm of the different ideal:For $K=\mathbb{Q}$, this gives $|D_E|=N({\mathfrak{D}}_{E/\mathbb{Q}})$.

Now take ${\alpha }^3=m$ and $K=\mathbb{Q}(\alpha )$. For any prime number $q\mid m$, the square-free integer hypothesis makes $X^3-m$ an Eisenstein polynomial at $q$. It is therefore irreducible, and $K$ is a pure cubic number field of degree $3$. Since $\alpha$ is an algebraic integer, $A=\mathbb{Z}[\alpha ]$ is an order in a number field. The discriminant of elements of a number field for its basis $1,\alpha ,{\alpha }^2$ isFor example, the resultant of $X^3-m$ and $3X^2$ is $27m^2$, and the degree-three sign in the polynomial discriminant is negative. If $I=[{\mathcal{O}}_K:A]$, the discriminant-index formula for an integral lattice givesOnly prime numbers dividing $3m$ can therefore divide $I$.

For $q\mid m$, the Eisenstein polynomial gives a totally ramified extension of ${\mathbb{Q}}_q$ of degree $3$. Thus $K$ has a unique prime ideal $\mathfrak{P}$ above $q$, with ramification index $3$ and residue-field degree $1$. Since $q\ne 3$, this is tame ramification, and the different exponent and tame ramification theorem gives $d_{\mathfrak{P}}=2$. Hence $v_q(D_K)=2$. Comparing with $v_q(-27m^2)=2$ in the discriminant-index formula for an integral lattice yields $v_q(I)=0$.

At $3$, use the shifted Eisenstein polynomial of $\beta =\alpha -m$:Because $3\nmid m$, the constant term is divisible by $3$. Moreover,when $3\nmid m$: the factors $m-1$ and $m+1$ cannot both be divisible by $3$. The hypotheses therefore give $v_3(m^3-m)=1$, so the translated polynomial is an Eisenstein polynomial at $3$. The resulting completion is a totally ramified extension of degree $3$, with residue-field degree $1$, and its ramification index is divisible by the residue characteristic. Thus its different exponent is at least $3$.

It follows that $v_3(D_K)\ge 3$. But $v_3(-27m^2)=3$, soforces $v_3(I)=0$ and $v_3(D_K)=3$. No prime number divides $I$. We have proved the integral basis of a nonexceptional pure cubic field:Using local Eisenstein polynomials here only establishes the local ramification indices; it does not assume that $\mathbb{Z}[\alpha ]$ is already the full ring of integers of a number field.

For an odd prime $p$, this Eisenstein polynomial generates a totally ramified cubic root field. Its discriminant is $-p^2(4p+27)$. For $p>3$ the unit part is a square exactly when $p\equiv 1(\mathrm{mod}3)$. The splitting field then has cyclic Galois group of order three; otherwise it has symmetric group $S_3$, with an unramified extension of degree two and inertia group $C_3$. Both cases are tamely ramified, so all positive ramification groups are trivial.

At $p=3$, adjoining $\beta =\sqrt{-39}$ gives a ramified quadratic subfield, and the splitting field has total ramification index six. A root $\alpha$ has normalized valuation two, while $\beta$ has valuation three, so $\pi =\beta /\alpha$ is a uniformizer. The derivative $3{\alpha }^2+3$ has valuation six, and all distinct root differences have valuation three. A three-cycle fixes $\beta$, giving $v_L(\sigma \pi -\pi )=2$. A transposition fixing $\alpha$ negates $\beta$, giving valuation one; conjugation handles the other transpositions. Hence $G_0=S_3$, $G_1=C_3$, and $G_i=1$ for $i\ge 2$. The different exponent is seven.